News

Embedded Vision Alliance Expands Membership and Increases Platinum Members

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Globalpress Electronics Summit 2012 -- The Embedded Vision Alliance (http://www.Embedded-Vision.com) today announced that eyeSight Mobile Technologies (http://www.eyesight-tech.com) has joined the Alliance as a Technology Member.  eyeSight is a provider of vision-based gesture control software for digital devices.  Just a few weeks ago, CogniMem Technologies (http://www.cognimem.com) also joined the Alliance, swelling the ranks of companies that have united in an industry partnership dedicated to inspiring and empowering engineers to design systems that see and understand.  CogniMem is a fabless semiconductor company designing components for high speed and parallel pattern recognition.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110531/SF10710LOGO)

Additionally, two Founding Members of the Alliance, Texas Instruments and Analog Devices, have upgraded their membership participation to become Platinum Technology Members, signaling the importance of vision-based systems to the growth of their businesses.

Founded in May 2011, the Alliance brings together providers of technology used in creating embedded computer vision applications. Using advanced image processing techniques for tasks such as object recognition and motion analysis, computer vision technology is well established in applications such as industrial machine vision for manufacturing process control and inspection. As key vision components, such as processors and sensors, become more capable and less expensive, these same techniques can now be incorporated in a wide variety of embedded applications.  Incorporating vision capabilities enables electronic products to be more intelligent and responsive, so that they are more valuable to users. It enables electronic equipment companies to both create valuable new products and add helpful features to existing products.  Embedded vision is now proliferating into products ranging from consumer electronics to automotive safety systems, retail digital signage and medical devices.

eyeSight and CogniMem bring Alliance membership up to 20 companies, including: AMD, Analog Devices, Apical, Avnet Electronics Marketing, BDTI, CEVA, CogniVue, Freescale, IMS Research, Intel, MathWorks, Maxim Integrated Products, NVIDIA, National Instruments, Omek Interactive, Texas Instruments, Tokyo Electron Device, and Xilinx. BDTI, IMS Research, and Xilinx are also Platinum Technology Members.

The Alliance was founded in May 2011. Its first step was the launch of a web site at http://www.Embedded-Vision.com. The site, increasing in content and visitors on a daily basis, serves as a source of practical information to help design engineers and application developers incorporate vision capabilities into their products.  Access to resources on the web site is free to all.  Site content is provided by Alliance staff and member companies.  Information for prospective member companies is also available at the site.  The Alliance has also launched a free monthly newsletter, Embedded Vision Insights.

In December 2011, the Alliance launched the Embedded Vision Academy (http://www.EmbeddedVisionAcademy.com), a free online training facility for embedded product developers interested in incorporating vision capabilities into their designs. The Alliance's plans for the future include educational webinars, industry reports, and other related activities.

The Alliance website offers several RSS feeds (at embedded-vision.com/rss.xml) to help viewers stay updated on the latest embedded vision information, and maintains social media channels at:

    --  Twitter: @EmbeddedVision
    --  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Embedded-Vision-Alliance-3934172
    --  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EmbeddedVisionAlliance

    Media Contact              Business Contact
    -------------              ----------------
    Brian Dipert               Jeremy Giddings
    dipert@Embedded-Vision.com giddings@Embedded-Vision.com
    +1 530-414-6908            +1 510-451-1800

SOURCE  Embedded Vision Alliance

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110531/SF10710LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Embedded Vision Alliance

Web Site: http://www.EmbeddedVisionAcademy.com

Massachusetts Gaming Software Developer Supports Internet Poker Amendment

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week's Internet poker amendment proposed by State Rep. Daniel Winslow, R-Norfolk, finds support from local high tech companies, including Cambridge Interactive Development Corporation (CIDC), a Cambridge-based software developer for online poker in legalized European markets.

"This legislation is an important step forward for the Commonwealth, its residents, and Massachusetts-based high-tech companies.  The amendment provides for extensive consumer protection, high-value job creation, and significant revenue for funding the state," said Tim Dent, CEO of CIDC. "As a company that has developed online poker software for many overseas markets and complied with online gambling regulations in many nations, we believe this amendment strikes the proper balance between rigorous oversight and creating a sustainable market."

Given that online gambling in the United States represents a $12B market, according to a Goldman Sachs report[1], and a recent study[2] for the Florida legislature estimated that online poker could raise $90M per year in revenue for state governments, any development to legalize it will result in significant opportunities for the states that regulate and encourage job creation in this industry.

CIDC has communicated their support to Representative Winslow during the drafting process and is actively monitoring legislation in Massachusetts as well as other states such as New Jersey and Nevada where legislatures are considering legalizing online poker.

About CIDC
CIDC is a Cambridge-based software development company that develops online gambling software for several leading European and Asian online gaming operators, most predominantly Everest Poker and BetClic Poker.  Founded 15 years ago in Cambridge, MA, CIDC employs over 200 people worldwide, with approximately 150 located in Massachusetts.

For Additional Information or Press Queries, contact
Katie Doyle, Marketing Manager 
CIDC
150 CambridgePark Drive
Cambridge, MA 02138
PHONE: 617-758-3559
EMAIL: kdoyle@cidc.com

[1] "Goldman Sachs: PartyGaming, 888, Playtech, bwin to Surve on Legal U.S. eGaming," eGaming Review, June 30, 2009
[2] "Legal Online Poker Could Raise $90M a Year, Florida Told," eGaming Review, November 16 2009

SOURCE  CIDC

CIDC

Web Site: http://www.cidc.com

Twizgrid: A New Way to View Twitter Through Photos

Turning 140 Characters into Pictures Worth 1000 Words

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- San Francisco-based tech company, AJP Apps, offers a new way to view Twitter with their photo-centric iOS app, Twizgrid.

Twizgrid presents the visual side of Twitter in an unprecedented manner. Photos uploaded to Twitter stream into the grid-like format, transforming simple tweets into a collection of photos. Discover content by searching for keywords, browse topics in the ever-changing curated albums, or view images from individual Twitter accounts.

"With 500 million registered Twitter users and more than 175 million tweets per day, we feel there is a vast untapped resource of incredible photos on Twitter," says co-founder Chauncey Regan. "Twizgrid provides a richly layered experience. While photos remain our ultimate focus, the inclusion of corresponding tweets and Twitter profiles provides an invaluable frame of reference for the images. It's truly a window to the world."

Twizgrid also offers a unique way to view photos around you. Using the integrated map, searches may be narrowed by current location or through specifying any other desired point. Users can search for food within 5 miles of San Francisco, or fashion within 10 miles of New York, providing an endlessly dynamic experience.

Photo apps have become big business. The recent acquisition of Instagram by Facebook, at a staggering $1 billion, sent shock waves throughout the tech industry. 150 million photos have been shared through Instagram, while Facebook, with an impending $100 billion IPO, boasts 250 million images shared per day. "It was shocking to us that no one had made a serious attempt at utilizing the photos on Twitter, one of the world's leading social networks," states Ms. Regan.

AJP Apps previously developed a photo contest app called Me+My, which was released in December 2011 and has consistently been featured among Apple's "What's Hot" list within the social networking category.

Twizgrid is available for free on the iPhone. iPad , and iPod Touch.

To try Twizgrid, please visit the iTunes Store:
http://bit.ly/twizgridapp

For more information on Twizgrid, please visit:
http://www.ajpapps.com/twizgrid

For more information on AJP Apps, please visit:
http://www.ajpapps.com

For business and marketing, please contact:
Chauncey Regan (415) 800-8154 or chauncey@ajpapps.com

For technical questions, please contact:
Scott Smith (415) 931-1468 or scott@ajpapps.com

SOURCE  AJP Apps

AJP Apps

Wajam Unveils New Social Search Experience for Google

Wajam Integrates Your FaceBook, Twitter & Google+ content wherever you search

MONTREAL, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Wajam (http://www.wajam.com), a leader in social search, today announced the launch of its newly designed and improved social search experience, (link to video) which gives users social search results everywhere they browse the web and adds new features to the Google search experience. Wajam's browser extension, launched last year, brought users the ability to receive social search results everywhere they searched, including Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Amazon, Yelp, Trip Advisor, YouTube and Ebay.

"Nobody knows you better than your friends," said Martin-Luc Archambault, Founder & CEO of Wajam. "We've incorporated over a billion pieces of data from our users' FaceBook, Twitter and Google+ profiles, allowing them to view what their friends have liked, commented, uploaded or linked to a particular search topic along side their regular search results. Social search powered by Wajam allows you to tap into to your friends wherever you conduct a search and filter your results by any combination of social sites and friends, relevancy, time of post, as well as by type, including links, photos and/or videos."

What's New?

              Intuitive Results Display - New design
              moves social search filtered results
              from top of page to the right side and
              gives users the option to show results
              from friends by default or to "hide
              results" to take up less space, only
              showcasing recommendations from friends
              when you need it.

              Easy Filtering - You can easily pick and
              choose which social network you want
              results from, as well as filter results
              by friends by simply clicking on their
              profile pictures. You can filter results
              by relevance or time.

              More Info; Better Organized - New design
              clearly breaks down number of results,
              organizing them by links, photos or
              videos, and lines up specific friends
              who have commented on the search term
              you searched. This gives you the ability
              to more easily filter results by
              specific friends, relevance or time.
Wajam offers two ways to search for social results - through its Social Search Everywhere Plugin as well as a search engine option at http://www.wajam.com. The Wajam Social Search Everywhere Plugin follows you everywhere you search, making search more personal by adding social network results to all web search queries - without having to change user search behavior. Wajam.com gives users a depository of everything your FaceBook, Twitter and Google+ friends and followers are posting and the easy ability to search through this comprehensive mashup.

About Wajam - Great Minds Search Alike - http://www.wajam.com
Wajam is a social search engine that gives you access to the knowledge of your friends when you need it. The Wajam Social Search Everywhere Plugin makes searching the web more personal by adding results from friends to your standard searches on Google, Bing or Yahoo! It elevates search relevance by featuring your friends' likes and reviews for products, places, links, photos and videos within your regular search habits, even in places like Amazon, Yelp, Trip Advisor, YouTube and Ebay. The Wajam Search site gives users the ability to search their network of trusted friends and followers across multiple social networks all in one place. Wajam launched in private beta in January 2011 and was founded by Martin?Luc Archambault, who was previously CEO of Zango Canada. Wajam is privately held and funded by Bolidea, and is based in Montreal, Quebec.

Contact: John Sperrazzo, Eye-To-Eye Communications, Inc. 858.361.4495, john@eyetoeyepr.com

SOURCE  Wajam

Wajam

Web Site: http://www.wajam.com

ColorWare Launches Special Edition Illusion Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones

Iconic Headphones with a Dramatic, Iridescent Spin

WINONA, Minn., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognized for their excellence in customizing high-end electronics, ColorWare today announced the release of the Special Edition Illusion Beats Studio Headphones. Beats by Dre are no doubt quite popular with music lovers everywhere, and now ColorWare has made these headphones even more irresistible.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/CG94865)

For a limited time, ColorWare is offering Beats by Dre Studio headphones with an iridescent finish.  Depending on the viewing angle, this unique, iridescent paint has a dramatic color changing effect, even in low-light environments. ColorWare offers three different color shifting paint finishes including:

    --  Blue to Red-color shifts from blue to warm red, purple and copper
    --  Red to Gold-color shifts from red to orange, gold and slights hints of
        maroon
    --  Gold to Silver-color shifts from gold to radiant, yet icy, silvery blue
        and green
The Illusion Beats by Dre headphones are $1000 and include an embroidered, black Ultrasuede carrying case. The headphones will ship in two to three weeks.

Justin Cisewski, ColorWare CEO, stated: "We strive to create progressive products for customers who have a discerning eye for superior quality and modern appeal. The radical color changes from the Illusion paint finish are very durable and incredibly unique. We believe the Illusion Beats by Dre will resonate well with our customer base."

About ColorWare

ColorWare was founded on the idea that electronic devices could be more appealing than the standard colors offered by the original manufacturer. ColorWare products are creative and fashionable, giving their customers something unique that sets them apart from all the rest. ColorWare is privately owned and based in Winona, Minnesota.

For more information please visit http://www.colorware.com.

SOURCE  ColorWare

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/CG94865
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
ColorWare

CONTACT: Nicole Czarnomski of ColorWare, +1-507-205-4118, nicole@colorware.com

Web Site: http://www.colorware.com

KingsIsle Entertainment Proudly Unveils Pirate101

LOS ANGELES, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, KingsIsle Entertainment formally revealed the exciting online world of Pirate101. The new game delivers heart-pounding, swashbuckling excitement as players take the helm of their very own pirate ships and pursue a storyline of epic adventure filled with intrigue and mystery.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/DA94408)

With approximately 14 million unique visitors to Wizard101.com each month, KingsIsle Entertainment's hit game Wizard101 has grown to become the most popular online game for kids and families in the country. With the announcement of Pirate101, KingsIsle extends its leadership in the online family entertainment space by giving players a vast, pirate-inspired universe to explore, from breathtaking cloud-top skyways, to ancient ruins filled with lost treasure.

"Pirate101's announcement is a seminal milestone for KingsIsle's already strong growth trajectory," said Elie Akilian, Chairman and CEO of KingsIsle Entertainment. "We believe, based on early indications, Pirate101's appeal will further strengthen KingsIsle's leading position as the online family entertainment company. With the huge success of Wizard101, the introduction of Pirate101, and with multiple other projects already in progress, KingsIsle is a creative force poised for accelerated growth."

"We've created a world of treacherous pirates, faithful companions, tactical battles and gorgeous environments," said Todd Coleman, vice president and creative director of KingsIsle Entertainment. "Pirate101 fuses the key lessons we've learned from Wizard101 with entirely new design, setting and gameplay mechanics. We've succeeded in creating a game that is very different from Wizard101, but remains comfortable and familiar."

Features

    --  Experience adventures as a Buccaneer, Witchdoctor, Privateer,
        Swashbuckler or Musketeer! Find lost treasure, battle the villainous
        Armada, and search for El Dorado, the legendary City of Gold!
    --  Visit far-away lands such as Skull Island, Cool Ranch, and Valencia
        while undertaking hundreds of quests along the way.
    --  Captain your own flying Pirate Galleon and explore the Spiral across
        dozens of fantastic skyways. Each ship has customizable sails,
        figureheads, cannons and more!
    --  Adventure with friends and family. Collect a rogue's gallery of
        scallywags and cutthroats to form your own Pirate Crew!
    --  Encounter hundreds of whimsical, fully-voiced characters in your quest
        to free the Spiral from the yoke of tyranny.
Pricing and Availability
Pirate101 is currently in closed Alpha testing. The game will launch later this year as a free-to-play download at Pirate101.com. As with KingsIsle's other major title, Wizard101, players will be able to access premium areas of the game by purchasing a monthly subscription or using Crowns, KingsIsle's popular virtual currency.

Additional information about the game is available at http://www.pirate101.com.

About KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc.
KingsIsle Entertainment is a developer and publisher that specializes in creating high-quality massively multiplayer online games which provide entertainment for the entire family. Wizard101, KingsIsle's first flagship property, received the Parent Tested Parent Approved Media Seal of Approval in 2009 and has been recognized by the National Parenting Publications Awards. Wizard101 was named Best MMO of 2010 by Beckett Massive Online Gamer Magazine, Best Family MMO of the Decade by Massively.com and the #1 Best Family Game of 2009 by MMORPG.com. Pirate101, the company's second flagship title, will launch in 2012. The company's experienced and creative team is raising the bar in online entertainment by offering products with rich storylines, friendly navigation, top-quality art and fully-voiced characters. KingsIsle is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and has a development studio in Austin, Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.kingsisle.com.

KingsIsle and Wizard101 are trademarks or registered trademarks of KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc.

SOURCE  KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc.

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/DA94408
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc.

CONTACT: Ben Conrad, press@kingsisle.com

Web Site: http://www.kingsisle.com

Sophia Offers Many Ways to Learn Online with More Than 25,000 Free Academic Tutorials Created For Students

Enhanced Social Education Platform Provides Content, Offers Quizzes and Assesses Learning Preferences to Help Students Learn the Way They Learn Best

MINNEAPOLIS, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sophia is continuing to customize the way students learn with its newly updated online platform that now offers more than 25,000 free academic tutorials taught in a variety of ways by hundreds of teachers and education enthusiasts. The enhanced ad-free platform also offers learning paths and quizzes in several subject areas including math, science and English, and provides students with the ability to assess their learning preference so they can choose content that helps them learn the way they learn best.

"With 25 million monthly online searches for 'help with math' and millions of additional searches on other academic subjects, it shows that students want and need access to credible content that is easily accessible on the Web," said Steve Anastasi, interim CEO of Sophia. "Sophia puts a fence around credible content and organizes it in a way that not only provides help with concepts taught in many ways but also has the ability to lead students on a learning journey in a particular subject."

Sophia offers more than 25,000 tutorials - bite-sized lessons created by a multitude of experts - on a variety of topics that feature a mixture of text, audio, video, slideshows and more. In addition, there are multiple tutorials on a single concept, providing students with many ways to learn. Soon the site will provide recommendations to students based on the types of tutorials they've used (much like Amazon or Pandora) that will lead them to additional lessons on a certain topic or move them to the next lesson within a subject area.

In addition, students now have the ability to complete a short learning assessment that helps determine their learning preference.

"There are a few key critical aspects that separate Sophia from other academic resources on the web," said Anastasi. "First, the size of our tutorial library and the breadth of content that covers several academic subjects including math, science, English and more makes Sophia one of the more robust resources available for parents, teachers and students of all ages. Second, our tutorials come from hundreds of excellent teachers, rather than one or two experts. And finally, Sophia makes it easy for every teacher everywhere not only to leverage our tutorial library, but to easily contribute their own tutorials - all for free."

Sophia Provides Tools for Flipping the Classroom and Pathways for Learning

Sophia launched in public beta in March 2011 and since then teachers have increasingly used the platform to flip their classroom by assigning tutorials for students to watch as homework and then providing one-on-one assistance during class time.

When flipping the class, teachers have the ability to develop their own content, choose from Sophia's library of more than 25,000 tutorials or use its newly developed Pathways feature. The Pathways feature includes a variety of learning paths - full curriculums meeting standards-aligned objectives that can take a student through an entire semester of material for a multitude of topics. Each learning path contains hundreds of tutorials, with at least five different teachers for each concept who all teach the material in different ways.

"Education is changing and we believe it is important to offer students many ways to learn by giving them the opportunity to hear from multiple teachers on a single concept," Anastasi said. "We are reversing the traditional classroom model of one teacher for many students by providing many teachers for each student."

Sophia was created in 2010 by a team of online education pioneers, academic advisers and digital innovators who have a vision to transform education from a one-size-fits-all model to a place where every student succeeds by having access to lessons that appeal to their individual learning preference. Sophia provides this in a platform that is available to anyone, anywhere, free of charge and is made possible by Capella Education Company, which supports improving access to education by using innovation to lower the cost.

To learn more, visit http://www.sophia.org.

About Sophia
Sophia is a first-of-its-kind social education platform that offers students many ways to learn by making free, credible academic content available to anyone, anywhere, at anytime. The site offers more than 25,000 tutorials created by hundreds of teachers and experts taught in a variety of ways. The platform further enhances the learning process by offering quizzes, assessing learning preferences and providing learning paths that lead students from one topic to the next so students of all ages can learn the way they learn best. Sophia is owned by Capella Education Company. For more information, visit http://www.sophia.org.

    Contact:                 Laura Telander Graf
                             651.698.4006
                             ltg@mcfarlandcahill.com
SOURCE  Sophia

Sophia

Web Site: http://www.sophia.org

CTIA-The Wireless Association® Statement After the Senate Finance Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to the Senate Finance Committee hearing on tax reform where the Wireless Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 1002, S. 543), which would provide wireless consumers with a five year break on discriminatory taxes and fees, and the Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 1860, S. 971), which would create a national framework for downloaded purchases were repeatedly mentioned as fiscally responsible pieces of legislation, CTIA-The Wireless Association® President and CEO Steve Largent said:

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110630/MM28614LOGO-b)

"CTIA and its members appreciate the leadership of Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and John Thune (R-SD) for today's hearing on tax reform, especially since they recognize the importance of the Wireless Tax Fairness Act and the Digital Goods Act.

"The Congressional Budget Office scored the Wireless Tax Fairness Act at zero cost to the federal, state, local and tribal governments and with more than 300 million wireless subscribers in the U.S., passing these two bills would provide our customers with some much needed financial relief and clarity.

"Americans who love to use mobile technology should not be discriminated against by state and local governments as a revenue source. U.S. wireless providers are standing up for its customers because they are not a tax collecting agency.

"It is time to get these bills passed by the Senate."

CTIA-The Wireless Association® (http://www.ctia.org) is an international organization representing the wireless communications industry. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products. CTIA advocates on behalf of its members at all levels of government. The association also coordinates the industry's voluntary best practices and initiatives, and sponsors the industry's leading wireless tradeshows. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, D.C.

SOURCE  CTIA-The Wireless Association

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110630/MM28614LOGO-b
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
CTIA-The Wireless Association

Web Site: http://www.ctia.org

Benefitfocus Launches HR InTouch Marketplace for Large Employers

Retail Platform Provides Shopping, Enrollment and Defined Contribution Management for All Benefits

CHARLESTON, S.C., April 25, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- Benefitfocus, the country's largest benefits technology company, today unveiled the first complete private exchange offering for large employers, supporting benefits shopping, defined contribution, consumer direct pay and apps. HR InTouch Marketplace debuted this morning at One Place, the company's premiere event for HR, healthcare and technology experts.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110602/CL12553LOGO)

With HR InTouch Marketplace, employers provide an online retail environment where employees can shop for their benefits and explore how to best spend their defined contribution dollars. Employees are presented with all types of benefits, wellness programs, company programs and perks in one cohesive, engaging workflow. Configurable design elements and widgets incorporate each company's brand, so employees associate their positive experience with their employer and fully understand their employer's contribution to their total compensation package.

"As a retailer, design and usability are incredibly importance to us - we want our employees to be engaged, even inspired, as they select their benefits," said Scott Scansen, Director of Total Rewards Management for The Wet Seal, who was a guest speaker at One Place. "Benefitfocus technology is unlike anything else we've seen in the market. It's flexible, elegant and easy to use and is really helping our employees appreciate the great benefits that we provide."

HR InTouch Marketplace supports multiple ways to engage employees and provides varying levels of support. For example, employees who need extra assistance can access avatars, animated videos and live chat as they explore their benefit options. Others can answer a series of simple questions to narrow down their choices and view recommendations based on what other like-minded employees have selected. Interactive cost estimators allow employees to model plan costs based on their own expected usage, and ratings and reviews add personalized, social content.

As employees shop, they can keep track of their selected plans by adding them to a shopping cart that keeps a running tally of their employer's defined contribution and their own out-of-pocket costs. If employees choose to purchase more coverage on their own, they can easily view and pay their bills in HR InTouch Marketplace. Employees indicate how they want to pay, and can elect to receive text message notifications when it's time to authorize payment.

"The dawn of retail in benefits is here," said Shawn Jenkins, Benefitfocus President and CEO. "We are ushering in a revolutionary new movement in healthcare and benefits. With the introduction of HR InTouch Marketplace, everyone is now a benefits consumer. We've designed a completely new experience for employees based on personalization, social tools, mobility and most importantly, choice."

Other major marketplace announcements unveiled today at One Place include:

    --  New mobile marketplace capabilities. New mobile capabilities give
        employees the best user experience, regardless of how they access HR
        InTouch and HR InTouch Marketplace. Responsive layouts ensure that a
        broad range of devices and browsers now have a single source of content,
        designed to be easy to read and navigate with minimum resizing, panning
        and scrolling. Videos are now optimized for smartphones as well,
        allowing consumers to learn about their benefits on the go.
    --  Private exchanges for insurance carriers. Health plans are using
        Benefitfocus technology for group and consumer exchanges. Employers
        shopping on the exchange can quickly narrow down plan options by
        answering a few simple questions like number of employees, average
        employee age, county and ZIP code, and can specify defined contribution
        amounts. Personalized, guided workflows provide a user-friendly shopping
        experience, even for small business owners who may be unfamiliar with
        shopping on an exchange.
    --  Retiree and Medicare shopping. By 2020, the Medicare population will
        reach 60 million - 20 percent of all insured Americans. Benefitfocus
        will support both changing marketing guidelines and technical
        requirements for selling Medicare Advantage and Part D products online,
        providing an intuitive plan shopping process for retirees. Critical
        tools such as physician lookups and prescription drug formularies are
        integrated in the retiree's workflow.
    --  Mayo Clinic products and services. Mayo Clinic, a worldwide leader in
        medical care, research and education will provide new health and
        wellness products and services through HR InTouch. The alliance between
        Benefitfocus and Mayo Clinic will provide HR InTouch customers access to
        Mayo Clinic Health Assessment, the EmbodyHealth portal, and over 3,000
        Mayo Clinic articles and videos. Benefitfocus will also offer Mayo
        Clinic's award winning telephonic and online Ask Mayo Clinic nurse
        service, the EmbodyHealth Newsletter and Mayo Clinic books.
"For more than 100 years, millions of people from all walks of life have found answers at Mayo Clinic," said Dr. Paul Limburg, Medical Director of Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions, who presented at One Place. "Our patients have told us they want more convenient access to Mayo Clinic care and expertise, and the relationship with Benefitfocus is exciting for Mayo Clinic because it helps us reach out in a new way and potentially help many more people who could benefit from what we have to offer."

Several other new apps were announced at One Place, adding to the list of benefits available in HR InTouch. The Discovery Benefits App, a software enabled service, takes the hassle out of billing processes for employers. The app provides consolidated billing, self-billing, bill reconciliation and payment services available through HR InTouch.

New apps also include identity protection from LifeLock and corporate wellness programs from Sonic Boom Wellness. The LifeLock App safeguards employees from fraud by proactively monitoring their information and providing alerts if identity theft is suspected. The Sonic Boom Wellness App gets employees excited about improving their health through social media tools, co-worker competitions and engaging content. All apps are integrated seamlessly with HR InTouch, making it easy and cost-effective for employers to offer more benefits and allowing employees to enroll in all of their benefits in one place.

The One Place Keynote Address was held at the Charleston Music Hall in front of a sold out crowd. In addition to The Wet Seal and Mayo Clinic, guest speakers included executives from Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, both Benefitfocus clients. For all of today's announcements and to see HR InTouch Marketplace in action, visit http://www.benefitfocus.com. Follow all of the latest Benefitfocus news on Twitter via #oneplace and @Benefitfocus.

About Benefitfocus

Benefitfocus is the largest benefits technology provider in the U.S. More than 16 million consumers, 300,000 employers and 60,000 brokers use our cloud-based platform to shop, enroll, manage and exchange all their benefits in one place. From consumer engagement and education to enrollment, communication and billing, Benefitfocus is helping companies find a better way to manage their benefits. For more information, visit http://www.benefitfocus.com Benefitfocus - All Your Benefits. One Place.

Benefitfocus.com, Inc.

843.849.7476
pr@benefitfocus.com

SOURCE  Benefitfocus

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110602/CL12553LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Benefitfocus

Web Site: http://www.benefitfocus.com

Introducing the New Earthquake-Safe Data Center Rack

Meet Telect's New Data Center Rack

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Telect's new Data Center Rack is a thing to take pride in. Through its strength, earthquake security and sheer good looks, you'll be sure to demonstrate to the world that you do excellent work.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/SF94343)

Imagine walking into a data center and seeing your name displayed proudly and prominently amongst rows and rows of blank, no-name racks. Telect wants you to serve the cloud in style. Through its rack-customizing program, you'll be able to get private labels, custom color accents and unique configurations.

The new rack offers seismic protection accompanied by more options for cable management, more working room than other deployed cabinets, and industry-leading airflow. The Telect team worked to ensure that the new cabinet would exceed current specifications and projected future requirements.

Tested in switch offices and by stringent independent labs, this highly durable and versatile platform is sure not to disappoint the most veteran telecom engineers. Designed to accommodate servers, routers, batteries, and other crucial network components, each cabinet is independently Zone 4 seismic certified to hold up to 2,000 lbs., 1,250 lbs. and 750 lbs. of network equipment.

Primary Benefits

    --  Zone 4 certified
    --  2,000 lbs., 1,250 lbs. and 750 lbs.
    --  Industry leading airflow doors
    --  Compatible with OEM cooling solutions
    --  Highly versatile and configurable
    --  Customizable look through Telect Inside Sales Team
    --  Protect and ensure safety of core equipment
    --  Adjustable front and rear rails
    --  Flexible equipment mounting
    --  Robust design ensures reliable, long-term performance
    --  Compatible with:
        --  standard rack-mount equipment
        --  a wide range of cable management solutions
        --  Telect's energy management strip
About Telect:

Headquartered in Liberty Lake, Telect connects consumer and business communities to each other. Their products, software, and services connects, racks, encloses, powers, and protects equipment in communications networks. Telect manufactures its products in Plano, Texas; and Guadalajara, Mexico. Telect and is a trademark of Telect, Inc. Learn more at http://www.telect.com.

http://www.telect.com/datacenterrack

SOURCE  Telect

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/SF94343
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Telect

CONTACT: Stephen Baker of Telect, +1-509-921-7472, stephen.baker@telect.com

Web Site: http://www.telect.com

Blackbird International Corporation Announces The Acquisition Of Professional Services And Engineering Firm

OAKVILLE, Ontario, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- BLACKBIRD INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION (Pink Sheets: BBRD) announces that it has agreed to acquire Robert Pound Consulting Company, a firm specializing in ISO 9001 and environmental ISO 14001 audits, training and certifications.  Robert Pound Consulting (RPC) has evergreen contracts with many of North America's "Blue Chip" organizations, helping them gain compliance and continuous improvements to maintain the certification.  Robert Pound and associates has over 15 years of industry experience and aims to supplement the operations and compliance of Blackbird and its divisions. The company will be integrated into Blackbird's Technology and Business Services Division operating under Insight Group Technologies business consulting division. It is expected under the new structure that RPC can leverage Insight's global clients, and it is anticipated that with its technology Robert Pound Consulting will double its sales over the coming year, thereby adding to Blackbird's revenues.

''This acquisition will exponentially increase sales in both operating companies because of cross referencing in our respective client bases,'' sates John Pedder, president.  He adds, "We shall also continue in our acquisition mode to give excellent present and future value to our shareholders.''

About Blackbird International Corporation

Blackbird is in the business of developing and implementing software both in the gaming industry as well as in the field of supply chain management. It develops products and provides the installation and the services required by many Fortune 500 clients. Among its clientele for its technology and services include Fosters Beer (Australia), Nestle, Coka Cola, MainFreight (Australia). It is in an acquisition mode in order rapidly become a major firm in this lucrative global market.

Contact:

John Pedder

john.pedder@insight-holdings.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future.

Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include the fluctuations in the price of gold and in the event of severe weather conditions. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate.

SOURCE  Blackbird International Corporation

Blackbird International Corporation

Trend Micro Announces Partnership with Facebook Offering Users Protection for Their Digital Life

Facebook now offers safer social networking backed by the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network

CUPERTINO, Calif., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704, #TrendMicro ), a global cloud security leader, today announced a strategic partnership with Facebook to help educate and protect users' digital life against malicious sites and malware. Facebook will support integration of the Trend Micro(TM) Smart Protection Network(TM) infrastructure, which uses cloud technology, threat correlation, and a global network of threat intelligence sensors to proactively stop malware and web threats before they reach the computer.  Facebook will utilize this technology to help block malicious links from their site.

Facebook users can now benefit from the same protection that is employed by the world's largest businesses.  When a Facebook user, on a Mac, PC or mobile device, clicks on links that have been passed to them or posted on their friend's wall, that link will automatically (and behind the scenes) be first analyzed by Trend Micro's Smart Protection Network which will perform a real-time analysis of that URL and the content of that link to determine whether it's safe or not.  If that link is deemed unsafe, Trend Micro will warn the user that the link leads to malicious websites and malware sites.  Now incorporated within Facebook's database of external malicious URL intelligence providers, the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network infrastructure delivers advanced protection from the cloud, blocking threats in real-time while processing more than 70 billion URL, email, and file queries daily. Every day, Trend Micro blocks over 1.4 billion threats and processes more than 300 million new URLs.

Trend Micro and Facebook will also be teaming up to promote and provide security education which will inform of the latest threat developments through on-going contributions to Facebook's Security page, e-guides, blog posts, quizzes, videos and more.

"Now that Facebook is a primary platform for communication, whether you're nine or ninety-nine, it's only become a bigger target for cybercriminals," said Carol Carpenter, general manager, consumer division at Trend Micro. "This is why we're thrilled to partner with Facebook to offer an additional layer of protection to users so they don't have to think twice when interacting with friends and uploading pictures from their weekend."

"We are thrilled to be incorporating Trend Micro's Smart Protection Network to Facebook's existing database of malicious URLs, and the opportunity to offer Trend Micro software to our users," said Joe Sullivan, chief security officer at Facebook. "This partnership will better enable us to protect the people who use our service, no matter where they are in the web."

Additionally, Trend Micro is also offering Facebook PC users a free 6-month trial of Trend Micro(TM) Titanium(TM) Security Essentials, and for Facebook Mac users a free trial of Trend Micro(TM) Smart Surfing for Mac. Titanium(TM) Security Essentials and Smart Surfing for Mac provide vital protection for users who want to surf the Web hassle free.  Initially this is available for users in the US, Canada, UK and Australia.  To sign up, join Trend Micro's Fearless Web community on Facebook. "Like" Fearless Web to receive six months free of Trend Micro Titanium Security Essentials or Trend Micro Smart Surfing for Mac. This offer can also be accessed through Facebook's security page.

Trend Micro Titanium Security Essentials

    --  Uses cloud technology to proactively stop threats before they reach you
    --  Utilizes less than half the disk space and memory of other security
        products
    --  Intuitive interface is easy to install and use
    --  Top rated protection scores from AV Comparatives*
Trend Micro Smart Surfing for Mac

    --  Protects against phishing scams and other online threats
    --  Prevents malicious downloads from websites
    --  Allows you to manage your children's online activities with parental
        controls
    --  Free automatic updates
    --  #1 best-selling Mac product in the US**
* Based on AV Comparatives Whole Product Dynamic "Real World" Protection test results from May - August 2011
** Based on twelve months of aggregated US retail sales data reported by the NPD Group in January 2012

About Trend Micro
Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global cloud security leader, creates a world safe for exchanging digital information with its Internet content security and threat management solutions for businesses and consumers.  A pioneer in server security with over 20 years' experience, we deliver top-ranked client, server and cloud-based security that fits our customers' and partners' needs, stops new threats faster, and protects data in physical, virtualized and cloud environments. Powered by the industry-leading Trend Micro Smart Protection Network cloud computing security infrastructure, our products and services stop threats where they emerge - from the Internet. They are supported by 1,000+ threat intelligence experts around the globe.

Additional information about Trend Micro Incorporated and its products and services are available at Trend Micro.com. This Trend Micro news release and other announcements are available at http://NewsRoom.TrendMicro.com and as part of an RSS feed at http://www.trendmicro.com/rss.   Or follow our news on Twitter at @TrendMicro.

SOURCE  Trend Micro Incorporated

Trend Micro Incorporated

CONTACT: Alan Wallace, Senior Global Public Relations Manager of Trend Micro Corporation, +1-425-522-3180, pr@trendmicro.com

Web Site: http://www.trendmicro.com

FreeAgent Launches iPhone app for Financial Record-keeping

EDINBURGH, Scotland, April 25, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

    FreeAgent has launched a unique record keeping iPhone app designed to help
self-employed people and very small businesses in the UK to stay on top of their finances
and tax commitments.

    FreeAgent, a leading online accounting software
[http://www.freeagent.com/tour/accounting ] provider, has developed the app - called
Earnest - after being tasked by HM Revenue & Customs to create a free resource allowing
self-employed workers and very small businesses across the country to keep track of their
income and expenses and estimate the amount of tax that they owe.

    Under HMRC guidelines, many micro-business owners and self-employed people only have
to file three-line accounts: recording income, expenditure and profit for the year.
However, many of these people still find it difficult to manage their accounts - which
prompted HMRC to request software companies to develop an app that would provide
assistance.

    FreeAgent has designed Earnest to be an easy-to-use, intuitive app that provides very
small business owners with simple information and record-keeping functions that they
require. Currently available to download in the iTunes App Store, Earnest enables users to
easily track their income and expenses on their iPhone, and it is the only free app
currently available under the HMRC initiative that also forecasts their tax commitments.

    Ed Molyneux, CEO and co-founder of FreeAgent, said: "HMRC challenged the software
industry to create an easy-to-use-app that would help self-employed people and very small
businesses keep track of their finances, and we've designed Earnest to do exactly that.
It's a simple, intuitive app that lets them monitor their cash flow, input expenses and
see how much tax is owed - and we think it's going to be an invaluable tool for small
business record-keeping.

    "Our hope is that very small businesses will receive the support they require from
Earnest - and as they grow and start to require more in-depth features for their finances,
their experience with the app will encourage them to 'trade up' to use FreeAgent. We're
essentially trying to create a hassle-free journey that small and early-stage businesses
can follow when it comes to managing their finances and bookkeeping."

    The Earnest app enables users to:

    - Record income and expenses

    - See their bottom line profit or loss

    - Get estimates on how much tax they owe

    - See upcoming tax deadlines and dates with a "Tax To-do" list

    - Capture and store image receipts using their iPhone camera

    - Create alerts to remind them of important tax dates and as they near the VAT
Threshold

    - Categorise transactions by payment method

    - Record cash and non-cash transactions

    - Add notes to entries

    - Record CIS deductions made on income

    - Back up their data by email

    More information about Earnest can be found on the website
http://www.earnestapp.com or by visiting the iTunes App Store.

    About FreeAgent:

    Edinburgh-based independent FreeAgent has pioneered online accounting since the launch
of its service in 2007. It has rapidly grown a loyal community of freelancers and small
businesses, who pay either monthly or annually for access to its software offering many
easy to use features.

    In a survey, 99.5% of FreeAgent users said they would recommend the software to
others, and the service won the prize for Best Newcomer at the 2009 SIFT Media Software
Satisfaction Awards. In 2010 it won the SIFT SME Accounting and Finance Software
Satisfaction Award, beating all of its desktop and web-based competitors to take the
title. The company also offers a free accountancy software trial to those who may be
interested in the company's products. More information can be found at
http://www.freeagent.com.

   
    PR Contact:
    Ed Molyneux
    CEO
    FreeAgent
    40 Torphichen Street
    Edinburgh
    Scotland
    United Kingdom
    EH3 8JB
    +44(0)131-447-0011
    http://www.freeagent.com

Source: FreeAgent

Load Tester PRO(TM) 5.0 Generates Unlimited Virtual Users

DURHAM, N.C., April 25, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- Website traffic continues to increase while expectations for web page load times are now under a second. To meet the demand for testing with very large numbers of users Web Performance, Inc. has released Load Tester PRO((TM)) 5.0,  load testing software which generates traffic of up to 1,000,000 virtual users on complex, dynamic websites under a new, affordable flat-rate pricing structure.

Load Tester PRO(TM) automatically scans through huge amounts of performance data and analyzes a site's performance to find out how many users the site can handle, regardless of the number of users or number of web servers involved.  To handle the special demands of large tests the new release has been optimized from the ground up.  The accuracy of the simulated users is maintained using a proprietary load-generation balancing and monitoring algorithm specifically designed for the cloud, while the user interface has been optimized to monitor and analyze large numbers of web servers.

So, thanks to the cloud you can now have 1,000,000 virtual users pounding your website in about five minutes with no investment in infrastructure.  Another benefit unique to Load Tester PRO(TM) is its low, flat rate price.  "Current pricing models for load testing are based on how the web was 15 years ago.  With the advent of the cloud the real cost of generating 100,000 users is about the same as generating 1,000, so you shouldn't pay 100 times as much," says Web Performance president Michael Czeiszperger.  "Our pricing reflects the new reality so you don't need a calculator to figure out what your load testing will cost today or tomorrow."

Load Tester PRO integrates easily with existing technology on most platforms, including AJAX, Apache and httpd, PHP, Java and J2EE, ASP and .NET. Users can generate load from inside their own network or from the cloud using load-balanced computers that continually monitor the accuracy of up to 1,000,000 simulated users.

"For the past 13 years we have worked quietly and collaboratively behind the scenes to make sure critical websites work like they're supposed to." says Czeiszperger.  "If you've gone online and signed up for cable, or donated to a large charity, or accessed a government website in the US, Canada or France you've probably experienced a site tuned by Load Tester PRO(TM).  We make websites work."

Web Performance is staffed by technology experts who think it's fun to pound the crap out of a website. We provide both testing services and software, including Web Performance Load Tester PRO((TM)). For more information, visit webperformance.com, or call 919-845-7601.

Contact:
Michael Czeiszperger
Web Performance, Inc.
Phone: 919-845-7601 x1761
E-mail: czei@webperformance.com
http://www.webperformance.com

SOURCE  Web Performance, Inc.

Web Performance, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.webperformance.com

PicketReport.com Answers Homebuyers' Most Important Questions on Neighborhood Livability

- Interactive online research tool explores resident lifestyles, crime, schools, and more -

DETROIT, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Picket Report (http://www.picketreport.com), a new online research tool that helps homebuyers pinpoint their perfect neighborhood, today announced the launch of its Detroit-based web business. Picket Report provides a free and easy to use map-based website that saves homebuyers time and energy by aggregating difficult to find community information and offering in-depth analysis of resident lifestyles, schools, nearby places and crime/safety.

"People looking for their dream home can now make sure it's also in their dream neighborhood even before driving through," said Bryan Kunka, Co- Founder and CEO of Picket Report. "We're right at the beginning of home buying season, so house hunters looking to buy their first home or relocate to a new area can use Picket Report to make sure they are choosing the best neighborhood for themselves and their family."

Homebuyers can find general lifestyle details on their future neighbors from education, interests, favorite restaurants or type of car they drive.  Picket Report provides users the most up-to-date and accurate information by combing data and statistics from over 300 unique sources, each focused on a specific area of interest.

"Picket Report digs deep to provide answers to the most important questions homeowners ask their realtors; is the school system good? Are the streets safe? Is it a happening place to live?" said Brian Bandemer, Picket Report Co-Founder and COO. "Whatever your concern, we provide the answers needed to help alleviate the stress of buying a home."

In addition to their interactive map based website, Picket Report licenses their lifestyle data and offers a widget that can be used on any real estate-based website. The widget allows real estate agents to host the neighborhood research tool directly next to a listing, which gives homebuyers lifestyle information on the location of a house, beyond a photo.

Picket Report was founded through a collaborative effort by co-founders Bryan Kunka, Brian Bandemer, and Patrick Misch while attending Bizdom, the Detroit-based entrepreneurial accelerator founded by Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans. Non-profit Bizdom is a three-month program giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from professionals with real-world experience, and providing the tools and funding necessary to implement ideas and create startup businesses. A percentage of all Picket Report's proceeds go towards supporting other Detroit-based businesses developed at Bizdom.

For more information, please visit http://www.picketreport.com

About Picket Report:
PicketReport.com is an online neighborhood research tool that helps people who are moving or relocating identify where to live with useful information about potential neighborhoods in an easy to use, visually-appealing map-based format. PicketReport.com includes information on lifestyle, schools, crime and interesting places nearby. For more information, visit http://www.picketreport.com.

About Bizdom:
Bizdom is a three month full-time entrepreneurship accelerator located in Detroit, Michigan and Cleveland, Ohio. Launched by Quicken Loans Inc. Founder and Chairman and Cleveland Cavaliers Majority Owner Dan Gilbert in January 2007, the goal of the program is to create an entrepreneurial hub of tech-based start-ups in the cities of Detroit and Cleveland. Bizdom provides entrepreneurs with intense mentorship and guidance from top business, sales, marketing and technology experts, many of which come from Quicken Loans' extensive network and family of companies. Upon acceptance into the program, Bizdom invests up to $25,000, which provides entrepreneurs with the funding they need to build their product or service to a scale that merits further investment. At the end of the three months, entrepreneurs have an opportunity to pitch to investors for the necessary funding to take their business to the next level. Entrepreneurs also are provided with a collaborative, workspace while in the program. Bizdom, a non-profit, maintains a minority share of ownership in each business, using its share of the proceeds to fund future technology based start-ups in these cities. For more information, visit http://www.Bizdom.com.

SOURCE  Bizdom

Bizdom

CONTACT: Alise Irvine, +1-313-373-3079, aliseirvine@quickenloans.com

Web Site: http://www.Bizdom.com

Panasonic Announces Pricing and Availability of 2012 Lineup of Headphones

New models feature powerful sound quality and comfortable, stylish designs

SECAUCUS, N.J., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic, a leader in consumer electronics technology, today announced pricing and availability of its 2012 line of headphones.   Featuring a wide-array of headphone styles and functionality, including ear-bud, monitor and noise-cancelling, the 2012 models have been designed to produce superior sound quality while maintaining stylish appeal and comfortable design. 

Expanding on its popular line of noise cancelling headphone models, Panasonic introduces the RP-HC200 which features an over-ear design and soft headpad to increase user's comfort level.  The RP-HC200 reduces outside noise by 81% (14dB) at 200Hz and has the ability to be used in normal headphone capacity even when the noise cancelling effect is turned off.  A fold-flat design makes it easy to pack in carry-on luggage and a plug adaptor for aircraft use is included.  Users can enjoy 60 hours of long, noise cancelling operation with just one AAA Alkaline battery.  The RP-HC200 is available now in black, white, green and yellow with an SRP of $79.99

Also being introduced is the Panasonic RP-DJS200 model, lightweight, DJ-style headphones which were developed using Neodymium rare-earth magnets to produce rich and powerful sound.  The RP-DJS200 headphones include reversible ear cups for flexible, single-side monitoring and feature a convenient travel-fold design for compact carrying.  Soft, comfortable ear pads and an adjustable headpiece provide comfortable fit for long hours of wear.  The Panasonic RP-DJS200 headphones will be available in May 2012 in black and white for an SRP of $29.99 

The new Panasonic RP-HX35 headphones offer users a fun and stylish design in a variety of colors including red, black, white, purple and blue.  Developed with a lightweight design, the RP-HX35 headphones provide cushioned ear pads to provide users with added comfort.  Neodymium rare-earth magnets help to produce rich and powerful sound and a frequency response 10Hz-25kHz allows users to hear a wide tone range.  The RP-HX35 is available in stores now with an SRP of $29.99. 

Rounding out the new 2012 Panasonic Headphone lineup are three new ear-bud style models, the RP-HJE355, RP-HJE295 and the RP-HJE140. 

The RP-HJE355 provides high-fidelity sound reproduction due to new, high-grade Neodymium magnet and an extended long sound support port.  Compared to its predecessor, the RP-HJE350, the headphones achieved 35% higher performance, realizing wider dynamic range and higher sensitivity which reproduces detailed treble and powerful bass.  An ErgoFit Design allows for the ultimate comfort and fit inside a user's ear.  A cord adjuster allows users to easily adjust cords to desired length and cord slider allows for tangle-free storage. 

Like the RP-HJE355, the RP-HJE295 produces superior deep base sound quality due to high-powered Neodymium magnet and an extended long sound support port, achieving 25% higher performance compared to its predecessor, the RP-HJE280.  The ErgoFit Design provides users with ultimate comfort and a 2.0ft cord and included 2ft extension cord allows users freely move around a connected device.  The extended long sound port of both the RP-HJE355 and RP-HJE295 allows for sound delivery directly near the eardrum, allowing for excellent sound quality to be maintained with loss.  Additionally, the long, flexible earpiece provides a snug fit within the ear to prevent sound leakage.  The RP-HJE355 model will be available in May 2012 in black, white, red and blue for an SRP of $39.99 and the RP-HJE295 model is available in stores now in silver, green, teal, white and black with an SRP of $29.99.

Finally, the RP-HJE140 features an L-shaped design for a smooth, comfortable fit and good noise isolation and powerful sound is produced with highly-efficient Neodymium magnet power.  The RP-HJE140 model is now available, in an assortment of colors including white/orange, blue/light blue, green/yellow, red/orange, black/grey and white/grey and will have an SRP of $19.99.  With all 2012 in-ear headphone models, three pairs of soft earpads are included in size small, medium and large so users can choose the correct size for their comfort level.

About Panasonic Consumer Marketing Company of North America

Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Marketing Company of North America, a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American Subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations, offers a wide-range of consumer solutions in the U.S. and Canada.  The Company's portfolio of innovative consumer products ranges from VIERA Full HD 3D Televisions, Blu-ray players, LUMIX Digital Cameras, Camcorders, Home Audio, Cordless Phones, Home Appliances, Wellness and Personal Care products and more. 

Panasonic is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth's natural resources and protect our environment through the company's Eco Ideas programs. Panasonic was the only Consumer Electronics company to be listed in the top ten brands on the Interbrand Best Global Green Brands 2011 ranking. Follow Panasonic on Twitter @panasonicdirect, and additional company information for media is available at http://www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

SOURCE  Panasonic

Panasonic

CONTACT: Lori Chiazzo, Panasonic, +1-201-392-4178, lori.chiazzo@us.panasonic.com or Blayne Murphy, Cohn & Wolfe, +1-212-798-9763, blayne.murphy@cohnwolfe.com

Web Site: http://www.panasonic.com

CTIA-The Wireless Association® Statement on the Appointment of Members to the Bipartisan Federal Spectrum Working Group

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (D-CA) announced the members of the bipartisan Federal Spectrum Working Group, Jot Carpenter, Vice President of Government Affairs for CTIA-The Wireless Association® released the following statement:

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110630/MM28614LOGO-b)

"CTIA welcomes the announcement of the working group and looks forward to helping its members identify additional spectrum that can be brought to market for commercial use. With additional spectrum, the wireless industry can continue to be an engine for economic growth and American leadership. We're glad this is a bipartisan priority."

CTIA-The Wireless Association® (http://www.ctia.org) is an international organization representing the wireless communications industry. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products. CTIA advocates on behalf of its members at all levels of government. The association also coordinates the industry's voluntary best practices and initiatives, and sponsors the industry's leading wireless tradeshows. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, D.C.

SOURCE  CTIA-The Wireless Association

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110630/MM28614LOGO-b
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
CTIA-The Wireless Association

Web Site: http://www.ctia.org

Knoodle's Deep Integration With Google Apps, YouTube And Chrome Extends Social Learning Across The Enterprise

Businesses can now leverage and share presentations and online training content across Google Docs and YouTube with Knoodle's fully integrated cloud-based social learning platform.

MENLO PARK, Calif., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Knoodle, the enterprise social learning company, today announces a newly expanded set of capabilities that give companies more ways than ever to deploy collaborative learning and continuous knowledge sharing programs leveraging the GoogleApps ecosystem.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55732-knoodle-fully-integrated-cloud-based-social-learning-platform

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/MM92055 )

Along with basic integrated user management and single sign-on through Google Apps, Knoodle provides additional built-in functionality for:

    1. Importing presentations, images, audio and video from Google Docs and
       YouTube into Knoodle, providing direct access to content stored on Google
       and more seamless ways to build learning modules and courses on Knoodle.
    2. Direct, one-click publishing of Knoodle presentations to Google Docs and
       YouTube, extending the reach to share Knoodle presentations privately
       throughout the organization or publicly across the world.
    3. Access via the Chrome Web Store, providing additional reach and
       availability, as well as full native Chrome and Google Cloud Print
       support.
    4. True end-to-end mobile learning capabilities with full functionality on
       Google Chromebooks and Android enabled devices.
These new capabilities solidify Knoodle's position as the only social learning platform that gives businesses a full range of integrated social learning capabilities that leverage not only the application and user management power of Google Apps, but also seamless access to content, connections and reach for both rapid content authoring, as well as publishing and sharing within both private and public audiences.

"We believe strongly that learning technology for the social enterprise must do much more than just facilitate internal collaboration," said Michael Rose, General Manager of Knoodle. "These new capabilities are a reflection of our commitment to enable continuous learning and the seamless exchange of ideas between internal teams, as well as with remote field organizations and the external ecosystems of customers and partners leveraging leading social enterprise platforms like Google Apps.  We have seen strong initial demand for Knoodle from Google Apps companies, and we're looking forward to continued growth within the Google ecosystem."

The expanded reach, authoring, and sharing capabilities now available through the Google ecosystem go hand in hand with the rapid authoring, testing, and analytics capabilities that have made Knoodle a leader in the enterprise learning space.  By leveraging already familiar tools such as PowerPoint presentations and standard image and video formats, Knoodle makes it easy to rapidly build and deploy anything from product how-to demos, to online certification courses, to new employee onboarding programs, to fully collaborative subject matter expert communities.

To try Knoodle for free, install Knoodle on your Google Apps domain from our listing in the GoogleAppsMarketplace, or visit http://www.knoodle.com.

About Knoodle

Knoodle is the social learning platform for your company. We help your people learn faster and do their jobs better by combining the depth of traditional enterprise learning technology with the immediacy and interactivity of social tools to make learning and knowledge sharing a natural part of the work day.

Companies big and small trust Knoodle to achieve a broad range of critical business objectives, ranging from product training and demos, to employee onboarding, training and certification programs, to broad social learning communities that bring together employees, customers and the ecosystem of partners. Knoodle delivers its solutions through the cloud, so there is no software to install and manage, deployment occurs in minutes not months, and is accessible anywhere and on any device.

For more information, visit http://www.knoodle.com.

    Media Contact:
    Tony Yang
    408-328-2909
    tony@knoodle.com
SOURCE  Knoodle

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/MM92055
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Video:http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55732-knoodle-fully-integrated-cloud-based-social-learning-platform
Knoodle

Web Site: http://www.knoodle.com

85 Percent Of Americans Say Mom Prefers A Personalized Gift Made By A Loved One Over An Expensive One, Reports New Survey

Animoto, Number One Video Creation Service, Makes Personalized One-of-a-Kind Mother's Day Gifts Easy

53 Percent of Americans (18-34 years old) Have Felt Guilty Their Mothers' Day Gift Wasn't More Personal

NEW YORK, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- An overwhelming 85 percent of Americans report that Mom would prefer a personalized gift made by a loved one over an expensive gift for Mother's Day, according to a new survey conducted by Wakefield Research for Animoto.  In fact, more than half (53%) of those aged 18-34 have felt guilty that their Mother's Day gift wasn't more personal, according to the survey.

For many adults the last personalized gift they made for their mother was back in their childhood school days.  But this Mother's Day, Animoto, the number one video creation service, makes it easy for anyone to say "I love you, Mom" with a unique, personalized video creation using family photos, video clips, words and music.

"An Animoto video is the perfect way to say 'I love you' to mom with a personalized gift she will cherish again and again," said Brad Jefferson, CEO & co-founder of Animoto.  "With your photos, words and our patented Cinematic Technology, your Animoto video will make mom cry this Mother's Day, but in a good way."

With Animoto, consumers have many video styles to choose from, including a new Mother's Day video style that will launch May 3.  Making an Animoto video is easy and free.  Users simply upload their pictures and video clips, choose their video style, and add words and music.  Animoto's Cinematic Technology brings family photos to life in a beautifully-orchestrated video production. 

To get started, 30-second videos are free to create and share.  For longer videos, users can choose from several subscription packages, including a $5 per month option, or a $30 annual subscription.

The Animoto Mother's Day Gift Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (http://www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 American adults, ages 18 and older, between March 28 and April 3, 2012, using an email invitation and an online survey.  Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population 18 and older.

About Animoto:

Animoto is a video creation service whose Cinematic Technology makes it easy for anyone to create and share extraordinary videos online and from your mobile device. Simply upload your pictures and video clips, choose your style, add words and music, and click the "produce video" button. Then, Animoto's Cinematic Technology does its magic and in minutes brings to life a beautifully orchestrated video production to share with family and friends. 

Millions of people actively use Animoto for everything from special occasions like birthdays, weddings and trips, to sending a quick special greeting, or just to share everyday moments. Animoto is a passionate and innovative team devoted to helping more people experience the power of video, for sharing their lives and connecting with those they care about.  The company is headquartered in New York City's Greenwich Village and has an office in San Francisco.

SOURCE  Animoto

Animoto

CONTACT: Lisa Hendrickson of Commstrat, +1-516-767-8390, lisa@commstrat.com, for Animoto

CEVA to Showcase DSP Leadership for Advanced Wireless Communication and Multimedia Processing at CTIA Wireless 2012

- Technologies on display include software-based modems for wireless communication and DTV demodulation; software-based solutions for imaging, vision; voice and audio pre and post processing

- CEVA technology experts on hand to discuss new CEVA-TeakLite-4, CEVA-XC4000 DSPs and CEVA-MM3101 platform

- Schedule a meeting with CEVA in Hall H, Meeting Room MR-1129

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- CEVA, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEVA), the leading licensor of silicon intellectual property (SIP) platform solutions and DSP cores for the mobile handset, portable and consumer electronics markets, today announced that it will showcase its leadership in mobile DSP technology for advanced communications and multimedia applications at International CTIA Wireless 2012, to be held May 8-10 in New Orleans, Louisiana. CEVA will be located in Hall H, Meeting Room MR-1129, where technology demonstrations will include:

    --  Software-based DTV Demodulation - Together with CEVA-XCnet partner Idea!
        Electronic Systems, CEVA will demonstrate its multi-standard
        software-based demodulation solution with a live demonstration of ISDB-T
        signals running on the new CEVA-XC silicon-based software development
        kit.
    --  Embedded Vision - CEVA will demonstrate a range of process-intensive
        video pre and post processing features running on the CEVA-MM3101
        platform, including face detection and tracking, cropping and scaling.
    --  Voice Pre-Processing - Together with CEVAnet partner Alango, CEVA will
        demonstrate an advanced audio beam forming and noise reduction on the
        CEVA-TeakLite-III DSP, showing use-cases for smartphones and tablets.
In addition to the range of product demonstrations on display, CEVA technology experts will be on hand to discuss the Company's newest DSP architectures, including the CEVA-TeakLite-4 DSP architecture framework for advanced audio and voice processing applications, the CEVA-XC4000 DSP architecture framework for advanced wireless standards, including LTE-Advanced, WiFi 802.11ac, DVB-T2, and the CEVA-MM3101 platform for mobile imaging and vision applications.

To request a meeting with CEVA at International CTIA Wireless 2012, please email info@ceva-dsp.com.

About CEVA, Inc.
CEVA is the world's leading licensor of silicon intellectual property (SIP) DSP cores and platform solutions for the mobile handset, portable and consumer electronics markets. CEVA's IP portfolio includes comprehensive technologies for cellular baseband (2G / 3G / 4G), multimedia (HD video, Image Signal Processing (ISP) and HD audio), voice over packet (VoP), Bluetooth, Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) and Serial ATA (SATA). In 2011, CEVA's IP was shipped in over 1 billion devices and powers handsets from every top handset OEM, including Nokia, Samsung, HTC, LG, Motorola, Sony, Huawei and ZTE. Today, more than 40% of handsets shipped worldwide are powered by a CEVA DSP core. For more information, visit http://www.ceva-dsp.com. Follow CEVA on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cevadsp.

SOURCE  CEVA, Inc.

CEVA, Inc.

CONTACT: Richard Kingston of CEVA, Inc., +1-650-417-7976, richard.kingston@ceva-dsp.com; or Mike Sottak of Wired Island, Ltd., +1-408-876-4418, mike@wiredislandpr.com

Web Site: http://www.ceva-dsp.com

CityIS, a Viju Group Company, Launches Cloud-hosted Video Subscription Services

LONDON, April 25, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

    City Information Services Limited (CityIS Ltd.), the global video communications
company, has today launched a complete portfolio of cloud-hosted video subscription
service offerings, bringing high-quality, on-demand, consumption-based video services to
any size of organisation.

    Powered by Videxio, the portfolio of services includes Video Subscription Services,
Virtual Meeting Room and Cisco Jabber Video. Video Subscription Services includes Basic,
Plus and Premium plans, a Virtual Meeting Room can join multi-user/system video meetings
from standards-based video devices, and with the simple installation of a software client
on a PC or Mac, Cisco Jabber Video is a personal solution that enables easy and reliable
connections to soft client users, desktop video systems and telepresence meeting rooms.

    Moving video services to the cloud reduces the complexity of deploying business video.
Compatibility between equipment is no longer a barrier and a pay-per-use consumption model
delivers maximum business value with minimal IT and capital cost impact.

    The ability for organisations to connect via video with colleagues, partners,
suppliers and customers has never been simpler or more cost effective. With high-quality
video services starting at GBP39 per user per month, cloud-hosed video services are
designed to simplify the adoption of video and dramatically improve the user experience.

    "CityIS' announcement today adds an additional layer of services to its managed
services portfolio, which is focussed on expanding the use of video communications in the
workplace. Used in the correct way, video can dramatically impact the way your business,
processes and people work," said Victoria Kemp, Head of Managed Services. "Partnering with
Videxio augments our strategy and helps customers extend the benefits of video
communications throughout their organisation and beyond."

    "We believe that video is a game-changer for people and businesses, and we enable our
partners to give their customers the best-in-class video experience from any device or
platform through the Internet connection they already have," says Tom-Erik Lia, CEO and
founder of Videxio.

    For further information, visit http://www.cityis.com/videosubscriptionservices

    About Videxio

    Videxio is a cloud video service provider that makes it easy for organizations of any
size to use professional video communications. The unique architecture and operation of
their cloud-based service allows individual users and businesses to be fully operational
in minutes. Videxio is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and has sales offices across Europe
and the Middle East.

    http://www.videxio.com

    About CityIS

    CityIS, a Viju Group company, is a video communications specialist. Together, they are
setting the standard for video conferencing, telepresence, audio visual integration and
collaboration & visualization solutions.

    CityIS assist organisations achieve true business transformation by improving
operational efficiencies and realising competitive advantage through global video
communications. The company delivers a unified communications platform, changing the way
organisations communicate and interact.

    Corporate offices are located in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Amsterdam,
New York, New Jersey and Singapore. Their global reach is supported by local engineers and
extends beyond 90 countries worldwide with a global alliance partner network.

    http://www.cityis.com

    About Viju

    Viju is a competence-driven business partner and provider of visual collaboration
solutions to the private and public sectors. Together with their customers, they create
profitable, efficient and innovative ways of working.

    The mission is to 'make people better together'. The vision is to become 'the global
visual communications specialist'.

    Viju Group has over 240 employees, with offices throughout Norway, Sweden, UK, USA and
Singapore. Revenue is approx. NOK 650 million. The company has a solid financial position
and ownership structure with strong ambitions for continued growth, both organically and
through acquisition.

    http://www.viju.no

    Jennifer Turnbull, jennifer.turnbull@cityis.co.uk, +44(0)7920-133949

Source: CityIS

All New FASTT Math® Next Generation Helps Students Achieve Math Fact Fluency, a Critical Component of the Common Core Standards

New FASTT Math Includes Educator Dashboards, 18 New Games Built By Experts in Educational Game Design and 24/7 At-Home Access

NEW YORK, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Scholastic Education, the leading provider of instructional technology for schools in the U.S., today announces FASTT Math® Next Generation, a significantly upgraded version of the country's premier math fact fluency program. Rebuilt from the ground up with even smarter technology and games created by leading experts in educational game design, FASTT Math Next Generation helps students build fluency faster and gives teachers tools to better track student progress and keep implementation on track.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/SCHOLASTICLOGO )

FASTT Math has always provided the most efficient, personalized path to fact fluency for students in Grades 2-9+.  Now there's more.  Next Generation is designed to meet Common Core State Standards with 18 new games to help students achieve fact fluency, new student dashboards to enhance motivation, and new educator dashboards to track progress toward CCSS goals.

FASTT Math Next Generation includes the new STRETCH-To-Go(TM) games, developed by experts in game theory and motivation that are designed to build upon their mastery of facts to build flexibility with numbers.  The games take aim at more rigorous Common Core Standards such as inverse relationships and recognizing unknowns.  Stretch -To-Go is accessible 24/7, enabling students to build mastery anywhere there is an internet connection, including home, the media center, or extended day programs.

The Common Core State Standards call for students to be fast and accurate with facts in all four operations in order to succeed in higher-order mathematics. Educators and cognitive scientists agree that the ability to recall basic math facts fluently from long term memory is necessary for students to build higher-order math skills, and is a crucial foundation for success in algebra and beyond as laid out in the Common Core.

Based on validated research in cognitive science FASTT Math Next Generation generates a personalized learning path for each student, using the proven FASTT (Fluency and Automaticity through Systematic Teaching with Technology) method, developed by Dr. Ted Hasselbring and his team at Vanderbilt University. FASTT Math helps students abandon the use of inefficient strategies for determining the answer to basic facts, such as finger counting, and helps them develop the capacity to retrieve the basic facts from memory quickly and effortlessly.

The FASTT Math adaptive software assesses students in real-time as they use the technology, identifies their gaps, and delivers individualized instructional paths to help them achieve math fact fluency - all in 10 minutes-per-day.

"In order for students to succeed in algebra and beyond, they need to be deeply fluent in basic math facts and able to effortlessly retrieve them as needed from long-term memory," said Margery Mayer, President of Scholastic Education. "With this new edition of FASTT Math, we've taken the proven instructional model we know works, and built in new technology that provides empowering data to teachers and school leaders, and a more engaging, game-like interface for students to help them extend their understanding, build connections between math facts and recognize patterns."

Educators and students who want to experience FASTT Math Next Generation can download one of the STRETCH-To-Go games, Sushi Monster(TM), for free in the iPad App Store. The game challenges users' deep understanding of math facts by requiring them to think backwards - choosing numbers that combine in different ways to equal a given answer.

FASTT Math Next Generation incorporates new technology and content to help make teachers more effective and students more engaged - building upon the science, the research and the model that has been proven to raise math achievement.

For Teachers:

With the goal of making every FASTT Math teacher a highly effective teacher, FASTT Math Next Generation includes new dashboards to help them become experts on data and differentiated instruction, and maps student progress toward meeting key Common Core fluency goals.

    --  A new Teacher Dashboard draws upon user-friendly technologies which will
        make data reporting more efficient.
    --  The dashboard provides implementation data to teachers anytime/anywhere
        and will help them sort through data and analyze it.
For Students:

New features for students in FASTT Math Next Generation are designed to provide content and rigor that will extend beyond the basics and help them deepen fluency beyond basic memorization of math facts.

    --  Anytime/anywhere access allows students the chance to use FASTT Math at
        home and create more ownership over their learning.
    --  New FASTT Math STRETCH-To-Go games draw upon the latest in research on
        gaming and deepen students' math fluency beyond fact recall. The games
        help students understand, find patterns and make connections between the
        skills they learn - and each one was designed to meet specific Common
        Core State Standards.
    --  Next Generation also includes an iPad app called Sushi Monster, allowing
        students to extend their learning outside of the classroom.
For more information about Scholastic, visit our media room: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.

SOURCE  Scholastic Inc.

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/SCHOLASTICLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Scholastic Inc.

CONTACT: Alex Wladich, +1-212-965-7353, awladich@scholastic.com, or Tyler Reed, +1-212-343-6427, treed@scholastic.com, both of Scholastic Inc.

Web Site: http://www.scholastic.com

Retailer of Consumer Electronics Announces Company Launch Alongside the Opening of New Online Store

HARDISTY, Alberta, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A new retailer of consumer electronics, Sim Enterprises LLC, today announced the opening of its new online store, available at http://www.SimsElectronicsOnline.com.

SimsElectronicsOnline.com operates as an electronic commerce (e-commerce) Web site, selling a variety of consumer electronics including cables, cell phone accessories, computer accessories, home security, iPad accessories, iPod accessories, iRobots, photo accessories, sound systems, tablets, TP pros, TV mounts and brackets, vacuums and other miscellaneous items.

SimsElectronicsOnline.com also hosts a blog, where visitors can read reviews or watch videos about certain consumer electronics products prior to purchasing. All major credit cards are accepted and for customer convenience, returning customers can create a personal account for faster order processing.

Items purchased from the online store can be shipped anywhere in the United States as well as Canada, and customer service can be contacted during normal business hours to provide assistance throughout the ordering process. Visitors are instructed to fill out the Contact Form within the Web site should they have an inquiry.

For more information on Sim Enterprises LLC and its new online store, visit http://www.SimsElectronicsOnline.com.

SOURCE  Sim Enterprises LLC

Sim Enterprises LLC

CONTACT: Michelle Boyd, +1-813-247-3278

Web Site: http://www.SimsElectronicsOnline.com

It's Here - Power To The Cloud! International Calling Added To VoX Mobile VoIP Android App - New Web Site Launches

UNLIMITED INTERNATIONAL CALLING TO 60 COUNTRIES FOR $29.95 AND A FREE 60 MINUTE TRIAL PLAN TARGETING 300 MILLION GLOBAL ANDROID PHONES

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pervasip's (OTCQB:PVSP) wholly owned subsidiary, VoX Communications, a cloud-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and video communications solutions, apps and services provider, announced that it has added international calling and a free 60 minute trial to its mobile VoIP app for use on all Android mobile phones and Android tablets.  VoX Mobile calls can be made on 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi throughout the world.  It is also planning to add video calling and an app for the iPhone.

VoX has also launched a new web site that represents the current focus of its mobile VoIP app business.  Visit http://www.voxcorp.net. 

Pervasip's Chief Information Officer, Mark Richards, noted, "Mobile VoIP consumers are quickly approaching 300 million users and we plan to be a huge part of this movement.  We continue to develop advanced features for our app and are very excited about enabling international calls from any Android device in the cloud, commencing a global vision for our Android application. Efforts are under way to begin marketing the app through a Yahoo campaign and Google AdWords.  We are very confident that the app has the potential to go viral through social media and we are pleased to say our app has already been downloaded in 146 countries.   We feel our app is superior in quality and features to our competition and our calling plans are priced competitively."

A VoX user can subscribe entirely on the phone and choose a U.S. phone number without leaving the interface, which makes the sign up process more elegant than many competitors. The Mobile VoIP paid plans start at $4.95, which is a low cost of entry for a high quality and reliable VoIP service offering. VoX also offers 500 minutes for $9.95, which is less expensive than most competitors and $29.95 for unlimited calling to the US, Canada and Puerto Rico and 60 countries.

Richards continued,  "We have the ability to easily 'push' updated plans offered without a software update, and intend to be creative with target audiences that are looking for fixed blocks of calls for a fixed dollar amount rather than charging a monthly fee for services that people don't always use.  This new interface enables us to tailor the plans offered so we will soon deploy fixed price top-up plans allowing subscribers to pay only for the minutes they use as opposed to paying a monthly plan whether they use the minutes or not. We intend to offer similar creative calling plans at competitive prices," added Richards.

The VoX Mobile VoIP App can be viewed or downloaded here:

https://market.android.com/details?id=net.voxcorp

INSTAT estimates that the number of mobile VoIP users will approach 300 million by 2013:

http://www.instat.com/press.asp?ID=2747&sku=IN0904428MCM

Gartner estimates that global smartphone sales will grow to 999.7 million units in 2014 and global tablet sales will grow to over 220 million units in 2014.

About VoX Communications

VoX Communications delivers VoIP and video telephone service anywhere in the world that has a stable broadband connection.  It recently entered the mobile VoIP services and applications arena so that its VoIP can utilize any 3G/4G or WiFi connection.  VoX differentiates itself through a unique combination of high quality voice services, flexible back-office capabilities and automated provisioning systems that enable a quick turn-up for app users who are looking for a second mobile phone line or low-cost international calling, without using any voice-plan minutes from their mobile phone carrier.  It offers a feature-rich, low-cost, high-quality alternative to traditional wireless phone services.  For more information, please visit http://www.voxcorp.net.

Forward-looking statements: The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements.  These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.  You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.  Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity.  We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

For further information:

AT PERVASIP:
Paul H. Riss
Chief Executive Officer
Ph: 212-404-7633
phriss@pervasip.com

SOURCE  VoX Communications Corp.

VoX Communications Corp.

Web Site: http://www.voxcorp.net

UniProgy Launches Pinterest Clone 'Pinnect'

UniProgy s.r.o. is proud to announce the release of a new product - Pinterest clone script Pinnect

NEW YORK, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- UniProgy s.r.o. is proud to announce the release of a new product - Pinterest clone script Pinnect. It allows any entrepreneur to create a Pinterest clone and drive massive traffic to their online retail venue of choice. This service is already proven to be a hit with women in the US and both genders in the UK, and was rated "Hottest website" in 2012.

Pinterest is a website which allows people to "pin" images they like onto a virtual bulletin board. Using this social picture sharing script, some of the world's most influential startup investors have already jumped into the trend of social picture bookmarking. Entrepreneurs all over the world have noticed the intensity of public response to Pinterest, making a Pinterest clone inevitable.

In 2011, Pinterest drove more people to retail websites than Google, Twitter or Facebook. When an upstart founded in 2010 can beat the established giants, it's a force to be reckoned with. While the original Pinterest is still privately owned, there's now a way for any interested party to create their own Pinterest clone.

Using the same technology, Pinnect is a Pinterest script that allows any website owner to create their choice of Pinterest clone. This facilitates public sharing of all sorts of images and massive advertising of products. Using their own Pinterest clone site, an entrepreneur can show their products to the world and allow women in prime purchasing demographics to advertise those products for free.

Pinterest and Pinnect also enable users to organize their favorite images and sort them into custom categories. This not only allows sharing on a massive scale, but also allows marketing researchers to identify trends and public sentiment about a given product. With so much built in feedback and marketing power, Pinnect is certain to allow numerous entrepreneurs to grow their websites dramatically.

http://uniprogy.com

SOURCE  UniProgy s.r.o.

UniProgy s.r.o.

CONTACT: Vasiliy Yevreinov of UniProgy s.r.o., +1-1-302-722-7430

Web Site: http://uniprogy.com

GDC Europe 2012 Strengthens Its European Roots, Adding Multiple Notable New Advisory Board Members To Help Program August Event

GDC Europe Reaffirms Its Commitment to the Game Development Community of Europe with the Addition of 14 Key European Developers to the Advisory Boards of the Main Conference and Summits

BERLIN, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM TechWeb Game Network, organizers of the industry-leading Game Developers Conference(TM) Europe (GDC Europe), have added fourteen of Europe's leading game developers to the advisory boards of the event's main conference and summits to help program the lectures, panels and roundtable sessions taking place at GDC Europe 2012 this August. 

Joining the advisory board for the main conference of GDC Europe 2012 are luminaries including former Battlefield Heroes game-runner Ben Cousins, now general manager of ngmoco Sweden; as well as Dino Patti, CEO of Limbo creators Playdead; Crytek veteran Bernd Diemer, design director of Yager Interactive; Lars Gustavsson, creative director at EA DICE; Christopher Schmitz, head of production at Ubisoft Blue Byte (The Settlers and Battle Isle); VP at EA Phenomic, Dirk Ringe; Adrian Hawkins, COO of Kuju Entertainment (Battalion Wars).

Also signing up to the expanded GDC Europe main advisory board are Michiel van der Leeuw, technical director of Killzone franchise creators Guerrilla Games, Jetro Lauha, co-founder and technical lead of Secret Exit (Zen Bound series), Sven Liebech, head of art at Bigpoint GmbH, and Teut Weidemann, the online game veteran consulting companies such as Ubisoft Blue Byte. They join continuing board members including Remedy Entertainment's Matias Myllyrinne (Alan Wake franchise), Avni Yerli of Crytek, and Harald Riegler of Sproing.

Helping to program the increasingly vibrant GDC Europe submarket Summits will be Thomas Grip, one of the key creatives at Amnesia developers Frictional Games, who will join the advisory board for the Independent Games Summit, alongside Die Gute Fabrik's Lau Korsgaard (B.U.T.T.O.N).

Elsewhere, Jami Laes, general manager and co-founder of social game giant Playfish, and Henric Suuronen, head of studio at Non-Stop Games (and formerly at wooga) will both join the board of the Social & Online Games Summit.

In addition, Ansu Lonnberg, chairman of the board of Secret Exit, and Semyon Voinov, co-founder of Cut the Rope creators ZeptoLab will join notables such as Fishlabs CEO and co-founder Michael Schade (Galaxy On Fire) on the advisory board of the Smartphone & Tablet Games Summit.

Now it in its fourth year and happening alongside the European-leading gamescom trade fair, GDC Europe will take place Monday through Wednesday, August 13-15, 2012 at the Congress-Centrum Ost Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. 

The event will once again serve the European game industry by gathering the world's leading speakers in areas specific to current European game development trends across platforms and development disciplines.  The addition of some of the continent's top game developers to the event's advisory boards is a sign of the conference's renewed commitment to focusing its content on the development community and on those issues most relevant to those creating games in Europe.

"It has been an honor for us as we enter our fourth year of GDC Europe to learn how many of the continent's top developers have wanted to join us in programming the event's content," said Meggan Scavio, general manager of all Game Developers Conference events.  "With this incredible influx of new energy and ideas across the advisory boards for both the main conference and all three summits, I believe we can expect this year's GDC Europe to continue to blossom into the most important event on the industry calendar for those who want to push the European development industry into new territory."

GDC Europe 2011 hosted over 2100 attendees, 170 speakers, 45 exhibitors and more than 300 media representatives. With a developer-focused Expo Floor area, and myriad day and evening networking events, GDC Europe 2012 will continue to offer business and networking opportunities to all attendees. For more information on GDC Europe please visit http://www.gdceurope.com.

About the UBM TechWeb Game Network

A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the UBM TechWeb Game Network offers market-defining content, and drives community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and research products and services. These include the Game Developers Conference®, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com and network of sites, the Game Advertising Online ad network, the Game Developers Conference® Online, the Game Developers Conference(TM) Europe, the Game Developers Conference(TM) China, Game Developer Magazine, the Game Career Seminars and GameCareerGuide.com, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.  Visit http://www.jointhegamenetwork.com

About UBM TechWeb

UBM TechWeb, the global leader in technology media and professional information, enables people and organizations to harness the transformative power of technology. Through its three core businesses - media solutions, marketing services and paid content - UBM TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed brands and media applications in the technology market. More than 14.5 million business and technology professionals (CIOs and IT managers, Web & Digital professionals, Software Developers, Government decision makers, and Telecom providers) actively engage in UBM TechWeb's communities and information resources monthly. UBM TechWeb brands includes: global face-to-face events such as Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat and Enterprise Connect; award-winning online resources such as InformationWeek, Light Reading, and Network Computing; and market-leading magazines InformationWeek, Wall Street & Technology, and Advanced Trading. UBM TechWeb is a UBM plc company, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion.  Visit: http://www.ubmtechweb.com

    CONTACT:                     Brian Rubin/Teresa Tyndorf
                                 fortyseven communications
                                 (212) 391-4707 / (323) 658-1200
                                 brian@fortyseven.com  / teresa@fortyseven.com

                                 Rich McCarthy / Sandra Lew
                                 UBM TechWeb Game Network
                                 (415) 947-6280 / (415) 947-6232
                                  rich.mccarthy@ubm.com / sandra.lew@ubm.com
SOURCE  UBM TechWeb Game Network

UBM TechWeb Game Network

Web Site: http://www.jointhegamenetwork.com

King.com Launches Hit Game Bubble Saga Exclusively on Kindle Fire

King.com Breaks Ground in Growing Tablet Industry with First Game to be Fully Synchronized with Facebook

SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- King.com, the leading casual social games company, today announces that its popular game Bubble Saga is available exclusively for Kindle Fire. The tablet version of the game is the first to be fully synchronized, allowing gameplay, scores, progress, virtual goods and social interaction to be completely synchronized with the Facebook version of the game.

This industry-first fully synchronized mobile/Facebook game release builds upon King.com's strategy to make casual social games available in a true cross-platform fashion, while building on the company's successes on the Facebook platform.

"In 2011, there were over 67 million tablets sold worldwide according to Strategy Analytics. The Android platform had a record 39 percent of the world's share and the Kindle Fire is increasingly leading that drive," said Riccardo Zacconi, CEO of King.com. "We're excited to be exclusively teaming up with Amazon as a part of our multi-platform games initiative, building on our Facebook games successes and providing more access points for our consumers to play their favorite games whenever and wherever they want."

Bubble Saga is one of King.com's premier bubble shooter games on Facebook with over one million daily active users (AppData). The objective of the game is to help the princess be the lucky one to marry the wealthy prince by plucking the right petals from the magic flower and includes over 100 amazing levels across a universe of beautiful planets. Players shoot to create groups of three or more bubbles, causing them to burst. Every consecutive burst will increase the bonus meter for extra points. However, be aware, the flower will start spinning when players shoot, forcing them to make sure that it does not touch the edges and end their chances of marrying the prince.

To start playing King.com's Bubble Saga for free, download now from the Amazon Appstore for Android at http://www.amazon.com/appstore or directly from your Kindle Fire. A version of the game for all other Android devices to follow later.

About King.com:

King.com is a worldwide leader in casual social games with over 32 million unique players and more than 2.5 billion games played per month globally. King.com offers over 150 exclusive games in 14 languages through its premier destination, King.com (http://www.king.com), mobile devices, Google+, and Facebook, where it is a top 10 Facebook developer and has over 10 million daily active users. The company is the exclusive provider of online games for leading global portals, websites and media companies. King.com has offices in London, Hamburg, Stockholm, Milan, Romania, Malta and San Francisco. For more information, please visit http://about.king.com

Media Contact:

In the U.S:
Paul Brady
Consort Partners
king@consortpartners.com
Tel: +1 646 491 2777

In Europe:
Paul Durman
Consort Partners
Tel: +44 7793 522 824

SOURCE  King.com

King.com

Web Site: http://www.king.com

TI introduces industry's most highly integrated audio codec for mobile devices

Audio and voice processing algorithms enable better user experience in mobile phones, tablets and mobile computing devices

DALLAS, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ:TXN) today introduced the industry's most highly integrated audio codec with embedded miniDSP cores, providing echo and noise cancellation at wideband voice sampling rates up to 16 kHz. The TLV320AIC3262 integrates five amplifiers and two miniDSP cores, and gives designers the ability to interface to up to three devices simultaneously, such as application, Bluetooth and baseband processors. Audio and voice samples can be received, mixed and processed seamlessly within the codec. The inclusion of TI audio and voice algorithms, as well as third party algorithms, available on the codec and as additional licenses, benefits designers creating multi-purpose and high-definition audio designs for mobile devices. For more information and to order samples, visit http://www.ti.com/tlv320aic3262-pr.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/DA92440)

Key features and benefits of the TLV320AIC3262:

    --  Third-generation miniDSP technology enables wideband noise and echo
        cancellation at up to 16 kHz to create clear, high-definition voice
        quality for circuit-switched or VoIP calls, including video conferencing
        applications.
    --  SRS WOW HD(TM), included as a standard feature at no additional cost to
        customers, improves audio playback quality and enables faster processing
        by offloading the duties of the host processor to the codec. Designers
        can also evaluate other certified pre-integrated SRS solutions such as
        TruMedia(TM), CircleSurround Headphone(TM) and TruSurround HD(TM), which
        are available commercially through direct licensing agreements with SRS
        Labs, Inc.
    --  Three asynchronous audio buses plus asynchronous sampling rate
        conversion (ASRC) allows designers to connect to multiple audio sources
        and mix multiple sample rates.
    --  Intelligent speaker protection algorithms control voice coil temperature
        and diaphragm excursion to enable maximum possible loudness without
        damaging the speaker.

Availability and pricing
The TLV320AIC3262 is available now in a 4.8-mm x 4.8-mm WCSP package, priced at $4.95 in quantities of 1,000.

Tools and support
The TLV320AIC3262EVM-U allows designers to evaluate the TLV320AIC3262's operation, priced at $299. An IBIS model and miniDSP software drivers are also available.

The PurePath(TM) Studio Graphical Development Environment (GDE) simplifies the design process for products with miniDSP and audio processing capabilities. The GDE includes all algorithms from previous versions of the software, as well as newly added algorithms and enhancements specifically for the TLV320AIC3262. This enhanced version of the software is also capable of running more algorithms in parallel than previous generations.

Ensuring consistent, high-quality audio
The TLV320AIC3262 can be easily paired with TI's boosted class-D speaker amplifiers, such as the TPA2015, TPA2025 and TPA2080. These devices maintain a constant output power even when the battery drops, further enhancing the TLV320AIC3262's algorithms, including speaker protection.

Designers who are using a different signal processing solution can take advantage of the TLV320AIC3262's integration and features without the additional cost of the miniDSP by designing with the TLV320AIC3212. These two codecs are pin-to-pin compatible, so that users of the TLV320AIC3212 can easily upgrade to the miniDSP technology of the TLV320AIC3262.

Enhancing the user experience on mobile devices
Audio is only one part of the user experience, and TI offers a broad portfolio of touch screen controllers and hapticdrivers that enhance mobile devices, as well as battery management, wireless power and portable power solutions to keep that experience lasting longer between charges.

Learn more about the TLV320AIC3262 and TI's audio portfolio by visiting the links below:

    --  Order TLV320AIC3262 samples and evaluation modules:
        http://www.ti.com/tlv320aic3262samples-pr.
    --  Look at the full suite of TI audio solutions in the audio guide:
        http://www.ti.com/audioguide-pr.
    --  Learn more about the USB audio capability of C553x ultra-low-power DSPs
        for processing and streaming audio.
    --  Ask questions and solve problems with fellow audio engineers on the TI
        E2E(TM) Community: http://www.ti.com/audioforum-pr.

About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 90,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be - smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun. Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do - from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities. This is just the beginning of our story. Learn more at http://www.ti.com.

Trademarks
TI E2E and PurePath Studio are trademarks of Texas Instruments. SRS WOW HD, TruSurround HD, CircleSurround Headphone and TruMedia are trademarks of SRS Labs. All registered trademarks and other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

SOURCE  Texas Instruments Incorporated

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Texas Instruments Incorporated

CONTACT: Robert Rich of Texas Instruments, +1-214-567-0246, robert.rich@ti.com; or Heather Mills of GolinHarris, +1-972-341-2512, hmills@golinharris.com, for Texas Instruments

Web Site: http://www.ti.com

BDTI Releases Quick-Start OpenCV Kit for Computer Vision Application Developers

Free downloadable image provides an easy-to-use, pre-built environment to get developers up and running in minutes

OAKLAND, Calif., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkeley Design Technology, Inc. (BDTI: http://www.BDTI.com), the technology industry's trusted source of analysis, advice, and engineering for embedded processing technology and applications, has released a free quick-start kit for engineers who want to start developing computer vision applications using OpenCV.  OpenCV is a free open source library of computer vision algorithm building block software components that is popular with engineers who are learning about computer vision and prototyping new algorithms and applications.  However, installing and configuring a development environment with OpenCV can be difficult for new users.  BDTI has solved this problem by offering a complete, pre-built OpenCV development environment in the form of a virtual machine image that can be downloaded and installed quickly and easily.  The BDTI Quick-Start OpenCV Kit is available free of charge to all. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/SF93635LOGO)

The BDTI Quick-Start OpenCV Kit includes Ubuntu Linux, an Eclipse integrated development environment, GNU GCC tools, and OpenCV--all pre-installed and ready to run within a single virtual machine image that can be executed using the free VMware Player for PCs or using VMware Fusion for Macs.  In addition, BDTI has provided interactive, real-time example applications illustrating computer vision functions such as face detection and object tracking.

Originally developed by Intel Corporation, OpenCV is a software component library for computer vision algorithm and application development, first publicly released in 2000.  A powerful tool for prototyping vision algorithms, the OpenCV library includes over 2,500 functions and contains dozens of vision application examples.  It has been downloaded over 3.5 million times and has been used in a wide variety of applications, from collision avoidance to advanced robotics.

With the emergence of increasingly capable low-cost processors and image sensors, it is now becoming practical to incorporate computer vision capabilities into a wide range of embedded systems, enabling system to analyze their environment via image and video inputs.  Products like Microsoft's Kinect game controller and Mobileye's driver assistance systems are raising awareness of the incredible potential of embedded vision technology.  "Embedded vision technology is already having a huge impact on markets from factory automation to gaming, and from security to automotive safety," said Jon Cropley, principal analyst with market research firm IMS Research.  "As the enabling technologies for embedded vision become more capable and cost-effective, we expect embedded vision to proliferate into numerous other markets, including mobile devices, digital signs, medical equipment, and even toys."  As a result, many embedded system designers and mobile app developers are beginning to think about implementing embedded vision capabilities. For system designers and app developers, OpenCV can enable rapid experimentation and prototyping of new vision algorithms. 

The BDTI OpenCV Quick-Start Kit is available free of charge to all through the Embedded Vision Alliance's Embedded Vision Academy project, at http://www.EmbeddedVisionAcademy.com/VMwareImage (free registration required).  The Embedded Vision Alliance is an industry partnership formed to enable the market for embedded vision technology by inspiring and empowering design engineers to create more capable and responsive products through integration of vision capabilities.  The Alliance provides training videos, tutorial articles, code examples, and an array of other resources (all free of charge) on its web site, http://www.Embedded-Vision.com.

About BDTI
Berkeley Design Technology, Inc. (BDTI) provides world-class engineering services for the design and implementation of complex, reliable, low-cost video and computer vision systems.  BDTI engineers have deep experience in implementing embedded vision solutions for a wide range of applications.  For details of BDTI technical competencies in embedded vision and a listing of example projects, visit http://www.BDTI.com.

For 20 years, BDTI has been the industry's trusted source of analysis, advice, and engineering for embedded processing technology and applications. Companies rely on BDTI to prove and improve the competitiveness of their products through benchmarking and competitive analysis, technical evaluations, and embedded system design and implementation.  Free access to technology white papers, benchmark results for a wide range of processing devices, and presentations on embedded signal processing technology may be found at http://www.BDTI.com.

Media/Business Contact
Jeremy Giddings
giddings@BDTI.com
+1 510-451-1800

SOURCE  Berkeley Design Technology, Inc.

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Berkeley Design Technology, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.bdti.com

IBM Advances Big Data Analytics with Acquisition of Vivisimo

ARMONK, N.Y., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Vivisimo, a leading provider of federated discovery and navigation software that helps organizations access and analyze big data across the enterprise. Vivisimo is a privately held company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Financial terms were not disclosed.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO)

Vivisimo software excels in capturing and delivering quality information across the broadest range of data sources, no matter what format it is, or where it resides. The software automates the discovery of data and helps employees navigate it with a single view across the enterprise, providing valuable insights that drive better decision-making for solving all operational challenges. 

Today's news accelerates IBM's big data analytics initiatives with advanced federated capabilities allowing organizations to access, navigate, and analyze the full variety, velocity and volume of structured and unstructured data without having to move it.

The combination of IBM's big data analytics capabilities with Vivisimo software will further IBM's efforts to automate the flow of data into business analytics applications, helping clients better understand consumer behavior, manage customer churn and network performance, detect fraud in real-time, and perform data-intensive marketing campaigns. 

"Navigating big data to uncover the right information is a key challenge for all industries," said Arvind Krishna, general manager, Information Management, IBM Software Group. "The winners in the era of big data will be those who unlock their information assets to drive innovation, make real-time decisions, and gain actionable insights to be more competitive."

"Businesses need a faster and more accurate way to discover and navigate big data for analysis," said John Kealey, Chief Executive Officer, Vivisimo. "As part of IBM, we can bring clients the quickest and most accurate access to information necessary to drive growth initiatives that increase customer satisfaction, streamline processes, and boost sales."

IBM estimates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every day from a variety of sources including sensors, social media, and billions of mobile devices around the world, making it difficult for businesses to navigate and analyze it to improve competitiveness, efficiency, and profitability. IDC estimates the market for big data technology and services will grow at an annual rate of nearly 40 percent to reach $16.9 billion by 2015.

Vivisimo brings over a decade of experience and innovation in data navigation and visualization technologies for both structured and unstructured data, making it easier for business users to get value from all of their data and content. Vivisimo's ability to index and search data across multiple repositories is a distinguishing capability, applicable to all industries and clients.

Vivisimo has more than 140 customers in industries such as government, life sciences, manufacturing, electronics, consumer goods and financial services. Clients include Airbus, U.S. Air Force, Social Security Administration, Defense Intelligence Agency, U.S. Navy, Procter & Gamble, Bupa, and LexisNexis among others. Upon the closing of the acquisition, approximately 120 Vivisimo employees will join IBM's Software Group.IBM will incorporate Vivisimo technology into its big data platform.

IBM Expands Partner Ecosystem for Big Data Platform
IBM is unique in having developed an enterprise big data platform that allows clients to manage, access, and gain intelligence on the full variety, velocity and volume of structured and unstructured data.   

IBM's big data platform is based on open source Apache Hadoop. The platform makes it easier for data-intensive applications to manage and analyze petabytes of big data by providing clients with an integrated approach to analytics, helping them turn information into insights for improved business outcomes.   

The platform provides clients with the industry's broadest array of advanced business analytics, Hadoop-based analytics, stream computing, data warehousing, integration, visualization, systems management, governance, and consulting services.

IBM's approach to big data challenges is differentiated as it blends traditional data management technologies that are well suited for structured, repeatable tasks, together with complementary new technologies that address speed and flexibility, and are ideal for data exploration, discovery and unstructured analysis.

IBM is expanding its big data platform to run on other distributions of Hadoop, beginning with Cloudera. Cloudera is a top contributor to the Hadoop development community, and an early provider of Hadoop-based systems to clients across a broad range of industries including financial services, government, telecommunications, media, retail, energy and healthcare. As a result, Cloudera Hadoop clients can now take advantage of IBM's big data platform to perform complex analytics and build a new generation of software applications.

IBM has the industry's broadest portfolio of big data capabilities with software, hardware, services, and innovations developed by IBM Research such as the Watson system. Over 100 IBM Business Partners have adopted IBM's big data platform, bringing a new class of solutions to market and extending the reach of IBM analytics offerings for clients. 

For more information on IBM's big data platform, visit ibm.com/bigdata.

For more information on Vivisimo, visit http://www.vivisimo.com.

About Vivisimo, Inc.
Vivisimo provides enterprises with information optimization solutions that help maximize the business value of information.  Unlike traditional information management products, Vivisimo's innovative solutions help end-users find and take advantage of all appropriate and available information, regardless of source, location or type. Vivisimo's innovative technology is delivered with a focus on end-user satisfaction and application control through easy-to-use interfaces, flexible security management and a modern architecture that enables quick deployment. Vivisimo products are available as standalone information optimization applications or as OEM versions embedded within partner applications and solutions. Vivisimo serves its clients from headquarters in Pittsburgh, USA, and through partners around the world. Visit Vivisimo.com for more information and the Information Optimized Blog at informationoptimized.com.

Contact:
Sean Tetpon
IBM Media Relations
914-474-5508
stetpon@us.ibm.com 

SOURCE  IBM

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IBM

Web Site: http://www.ibm.com/bigdata